Karnataka High Court
State Public Information Officer vs N Anbarasm on 26 August, 2009
Equivalent citations: AIR 2010 KARNATAKA 64, 2010 (1) AIR KANT HCR 714, 2010 A I H C 1629, (2009) ILR (KANT) 3890, (2010) 3 ICC 681, (2010) 1 KCCR 643, (2010) 2 CIVLJ 254, (2010) 2 CURCC 506
Author: Mohan Shantanagoudar
Bench: Mohan Shantanagoudar
5
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IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATA KA AT BANGALOQE
DATED THIS THE 26"' my OF AUGUST
BEFORE 2
THE HON'BLE MRJUSTICE MOHAl\i*,SH;€\M'Ti4:\iA/.$fOi}b'AR"'4.jé. %
wan pgjrrrom No.941is/zoos ceM.aE5;
Between :
State Public Information Officer. V ~
8: Deputy Registrar (Estabiishiiierifl *
The High Court of Kamataka ' * " '
High Court Building, , "
Dr.Ambedkar V€:'edi1_i--«. b V.
Banga1ore-560 ~ .. Petitioner
( By Sri N.=;iganai1tié;;vVS;:';§Z?ou<:1o'eI._ for f
Sriranga 'Assoc1'at_eS~)f v, _
AND :
2 iiiiii H
Re_sidir1g. at Appie4VSOft,
No.3o9,"io$tCr_o's-5 " V _ Q
15' Main", --.ShiVar1;3gar,V
'Nest of Chord. Road,
Bangalore'-'56!) 0'10. .. Respondent
' " '{ By Sr:;\I.Afibarasan, Party-in--person }
This Writ Petition is filed under Articles 226 8: .227 of the
Constitution of India praying to quash the order dated
14.5.2008 [Annexure--G) passed by the Karnataka Infozinahtioizvvp
Commission.
This Writ Petition coming on for hearingtpthi-sop llpthewl 0
Court made the following :
ORDER
Heard the learned advocates aippeafingl on of parties and perused the stateInentVl4l'oI_l"1:objections lfilledlfiby the respondent.
2. Petitionerpphas the order at Annexure-'G' the Karnataka Information _ Egtate Chief Information Commissioner .li'asfid£.1'fectedl"'thpe'*--.petitioner to furnish certain records free of cost to thellcoinplainant.
3.V-':c_j'l'l1e..erestpondenthelrein filed an application before the P{f3.1ic.=llnforrnatioiii;:Cfficer--Deputy Registrar of High Court of e,_.A_.ppKarnataip{at,l for furnishing the certified copies of the _llgfo1i'owing linfoijmation/documents as per the provisions of
1.] of the Right to Information Act, 2005 :
Guidelines, rules pertaining to scrutiny of Writ Petition.
Guidelines, rules pertaining to classifica'tion_:u'ii"
of Writ Petition.
Guidelines, rules which pres:eribe'sA.'to lpostla Writ Petition only on eaVrly.4_hear'i'11glapplicatiorla Of 1T1€1'Il0.
Procedure, guidelines and rules._foll'owed when the respondent has not. 7filed._ V G' Written statement as per l~Honourable Number».oi"o::easi0.nsVtirnesreduests made by Respond'en_ts_'for potstponirig the hearing and the ifeas ons p'r.ojeeted"'by them. l\lumbet" of hearings': held in Writ Petition 26é'57g2.o04.
"times the Writ Petition Number " "?;'665"i'.1/f2.€V).'04 posted for hearing. p Ofdets of Hon.Judge in all hearings of Writ _ "Petition Number 26657/2004.
9.
10. 1}.
12.
13.
14. Objections, Written submission, Written statements filed by the respondents in W1-it Petition Number 26657/2004. Procedure, Guidelines, rules f0H0'\2iI€«'Z1,."_:':"j:1--i~,,/L.i Writ Petition" ~ .. 'Nu:-xiigsié. _ posting the 26657 / 2004, Early hearing applicatio'n.;"'=meInox_ gird. other request made by... "advocaite..._,for§ petitioner 2665772004.
in Number Number Petition Number 1,f;*935;<2ooe;- .-- " V WritdWPetition Number 1 /2006 fie-sted. for beating. _Ordersau'of:V1~Io.n.Judge: in ali hearings in Writ "Petition Nuhm'oer...1<7935/2006. Written submission, Written W' fiied by the respondents in Writ W is.
Z Hposting "Procedure.
'Petition Number 17935/2006. Guidelines, rules followed in the Writ Petition 1 7935 /2006.
Number
17. Early hearing application, memo and any other request made by the advocate petitioner in Writ Petition Numlger» 17935/2006."
The Public information Officer Annexure~'B' dated 3rd August 2007, inforrning the,.'ifespondenti V herein that the information sough't:for by" the in respect of the guidelines, rules of the writ petition, guidelines and tovlclgassification of the writ petition, the.lproce(§lure,'v' rules followed by the High has not filed his statement, High Court Act and Rules, 195fa:;'--._ relating to Sl.No.2, the Public InforrnationOfficerV the respondent herein that pgshoulgg lviciepositwnd to furnish the list regarding cIass»ificatiVori_ of __writ petition. As regards information relatiungfto' request of the respondent was not considered as the request was not specific. As regards S1.Nos.6 "the cohcerned officer informed the respondent herein itoay obtain the certified copies of the order sheet [pertaining to the Writ Petition No.2e657/2004 and Writ -6- Petition No.1'7935/2006 in accordance with the Rules. Being aggrieved by the said order at Annexure~'B', the herein filed complaint under Section 18 (1) of the V' Information Act, 2005 as per Ann.eX,ure--'iCllmbelfoére" the Karnataka Information Commission. Itwis i:'e1evant.to the respondent did not challenge'flthe. order Thus, the order Annexure--"B' has finality," However, the respondent herein chose."
to file under Section 18(1) of the Right toA,_Infor';rv;f1_at--i:f.>.I? 2008, contending therein?__':th;;$t:i:. the information is not furnishedlto lfees within the time limit. The themstatement of objections before the Kax*na'taha Cornmission. After hearing, the impugned order._:ViAs' -passedltas per Annexure--'G' to the writ petition'xthelbetiltioner to furnish High Court Act 81 Rules ..or'dVei::sj'neet in two writ petitions free of cost to Q A A A ..the complainant,' " ' information as sought for by the respondent in «_lr'es;;ec't._lof Item Nos}, 3 and 4 mentioned above are available in High Court Act and Rules made thereunder. The said Act and Rules are available in market. If not available, the respondent has to obtain copies of the same fron1sflthle.. publishers. it is not open for the respondent to M of the same from the petitioner. But st1iangely,_'the if Information Commission has directed the petitioner"'to' the copies of the Karnataka High Court of cost under Right to Information Aet4§>"v«_l'I'l1e order in respect of the same is illegal: and The information. in respectfpof' to 17 is relating to Writ N§i2i3«$57.g2eo4l:é':{d Writ Petition No.17935/2006, diswal party to the said proceedings:V'.._A'Ihus,vlaccordiiigfltop: Rules of the High Court, it IS open for the"'respVonlde.nt_t'o:li'le an application for certified copies of order-' A. or the relevant documents for ('See Chapter--17 of Karnataka High Court Rules; open for the respondent to obtain lvjrlcertified copies ' the order sheet pending as Well as the " of matters, the State Chief Information Commissioner is not justified in directing the petitioner to furnish copies of free of costs. If the order of the State Chief lk/9 _3,.
Information Commissioner is to be implemented, then, it-..fwill lead to illegal demands. Under the Rules, any persoIitW"ho.,:is.. party or not a party to the proceedings, can obtain it the High Court as per the procedure it mentioned supra. The State Chief Inf'or1n:a'tio'n eon:mis4s15_11ef'eiii has passed the order Without app-lying his 'mind to',the._:re-levant Rules of the High Court. Chiefllnfovrlmation Commissioner should have Court Rules before proceeding further. 'order is illegal and arbitrary, the ;'safae'is.lia'o?le"."totbevvdiiasned. Accordingly, the following order :» 'C it C The impu'=gned"l54.5.2OO8 vide Ar1nexure--'G' passed by the Karnatal§a'lnfo'rrr:;ation Commission, is quashed. Writ petiti is . allotlied ,ae_e_oi"dingly. sd/-
woes: